Adjustable fitting for freight-cars



A. J. SNEBD, Jr. ADJUSTABLE FITTING FOR FREIGHT CARS.

(No ModeL) Patented Nov.

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ARCHIE J. SNEED, JR., OF CANTON, MISSISSIPPI.

t ADJUSTABLE FITTING FOR FREIGHT-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,697, dated November 28, 1893.

Application filed June 17, 1893- Serial No. 477.990. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIE J. SNEED, J r., of Canton, in the county of Madison and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and Improved Car Attachment, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved attachment designed for use in freight cars and other transporting mediums, for supporting boxes, crates, &c., containing fruit and other merchandise, the said attachment preventing displacement of the boxes, crates, &c., by the jar incident to the motion of the cars.

The invention consists of rails adapted to be fastened on the carfioor, standards held adjustably on the said rails, and cross bars fitted to slide in the said standards and adapted to support the boxes, crates, &c.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement as applied and with parts in section. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same 011 the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of one of the cross bars; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view of one of the posts with a cross bar attached.

The improved car attachment is provided with sets of rails B, each set containing two rails arranged longitudinally in the car A and secured on the bottom A thereof. On each set of rails B are mounted to slide standards 0, each standard being formed at its lower end with two dove-tailed grooves C engaging the correspondingly shaped dove-tailed rails B of the set. In order to prevent slipping of the standards 0, after they have been moved to the proper place along the rail, I provide pins D hung on chains D attached to the lower ends of the standards, the said pins being adapted to engage the apertures B arranged in the rails B. (See Fig. 3.)

The top connecting bar 0 on each standard 0 is formed with a large opening G through which is adapted to pass a rail E provided with notches E, the said rail engaging the series of standards on a corresponding set of rails B. When a standardO has been moved into position on the set of rails B, then one of the notches E in the top rail E engages the bottom of the aperture 0 and then the rail is locked in place to the standard bya wedge or spring key F, driven into the aperture 0 on top of the rail, as is plainly shown in Fig. 1.

In each of the standards 0 are formed vertically extending dovetail grooves C the end standard being formed with such grooves on the inner face only, while the remaining standards, between the end standards, are formed with such sets of grooves on both faces, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3. The set of dovetail grooves on one face of each standard 0 is adapted to be engaged by dovetails G formed on across bar G adapted to support one side of a box, crate or other similar article H containing the goods to be shipped.

In each of the cross bars G, and in the top of the same is formed a transversely extending dovetailed groove G adapted to be engaged by dovetail slides I, each provided with a head 1' adapted to engage, with its inner face, the front or rear of the box, or crate H supported on that particular bar, so as to securely hold the crate or box in place.

In order to lock the slides I for each crossbar G in place, I provide the latter in the bottoms of the dovetailed grooves G with series of apertures G adapted to be engaged by pins J, so as to lock the slides in place after the latter have been moved inward to firmly abut at their ends against the front and rear of the crate. (See Fig. 2.)

In using the device, I proceed as follows: After one end of a standard 0 has been put in position near one end of the car A, as shown in Fig. 1, then a second standard 0 is moved along the set of rails until it is a certain distance from the end of the car, according to the width of the box or crate, and then two cross bars G are placed on the opposing sets of dovetailed grooves Oflthe said cross bars resting on the top of the set of rails B. A box or crate H to be shipped is then set on the top of the two cross bars, and is locked in place thereon by shifting the slides I until their heads 1 engage the front and rear ends of the box or crate. The slides are then locked in place by inserting the pins J in corresponding apertures G The operator then passes another set of cross bars G down the standards to rest on the top of the box or crate, and then a second box or crate is placed or supported on the cross bars and again locked in place by the slides, as above described. This operation is repeated until the space between the two standards is completely filled with boxes and crates, which may extend up to the top rail E. When this has been done a third standard is moved along the rails B until it is a distance from the second standard corresponding to the width of the next row of boxes or crates to be shipped and locked in the space between the second and third standards. The above described operation is then repeated; that is, first one set of cross barsis engaged with the second and third standards at their opposing faces, and resting on the rails B, and then a crate or box is supported and locked on this lowermost set of cross bars, after which a second set of cross bars is brought down on the box or crate, &c., as above described. In this manner the entire car is finally filled with boxes or crates, each individual box or crate being securely locked in position, as above described, so that the said boxes or crates Will not be displaced within the car by the jar incident to the motion of the car.

It will be seen that this device is very simple and durable in construction, and can be readily removed from the car at any time, whenever it is desired to use the car for other purposes than shipping crates or boxes.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A car attachment comprising rails adapted to be fastened on the car floor, standards held adjustably on the said rails, and cross bars fitted to slide in the said standards and adapted to support boxes, crates, &c., substantially as shown and described.

2. A car attachment comprising rails adapted to be fastened on the car floor, standards held adjustably on the said rails, cross bars fitted to slide in the said standards and adapted to support boxes, crates, &c., and means, substantially as described, and held on the said cross bars, for locking the crates or boxes in position thereon, asset forthl 3. A car attachment comprising a rail adapted to be fastened on the car floor, standards held adjustably on the said rails, a notched top rail engaging the upper ends of the said standards, cross bars fitted to slide on the said standards and adapted to support boxes or crates, and headed slides fitted to slide transversely in the said cross bars and adapted to engage the said boxes or crates, substantially as shown and described.

4. A car attachment comprising a rail adapted to be fastened on the-car floor, standards held ad j ustably on the said rails, a notched top rail engaging the upper ends of the said standards, cross bars fitted to slide on the said standards and adapted to support boxes or crates, headed slides fitted to slide transversely in the said cross bars and adapted to engage the said boxes or crates, and pins for locking the said headed slides in place on the said cross bars, as set forth.

5-. A car attachment. comprising a rail adapted to be fastened on the car floor, standards held adjustably on the said rails, a notched top rail engaging the upper ends of the said standards, cross bars fitted to slide on the said standards and adapted tosupport boxes or crates, headed slides fitted to slide transversely in the said cross bars and adapted to engage the said boxes or crates, and means, substantially as described, for locking the notch ed top rail in place on the standards, as set forth. I

ARCHIE J. SNEED, JR.

Witnesses:

F. B. PRATT, H. B. GRENoEs. 

